http://www.ck12.org Chapter 3. Chemical Interactions
Examples of Synthesis Reactions
Another example of a synthesis reaction is the combination of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) to produce sodium
chloride (NaCl). This reaction is represented by the chemical equation:
2Na + Cl 2 →2NaClSodium is a highly reactive metal, and chlorine is a poisonous gas. Both elements are pictured in theFigure3.30.
The compound they synthesize has very different properties. Sodium chloride is commonly called table salt, which is
neither reactive nor poisonous. In fact, salt is a necessary component of the human diet. You can see more examples
of synthesis reactions at this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxlWtsFinTM.
FIGURE 3.30
Summary
- A synthesis reaction occurs when two or more reactants combine to form a single product. This type of
reaction is represented by the general equation: A + B→AB. - An example of a synthesis reaction is the combination of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) to produce sodium
chloride (NaCl). This reaction is represented by the chemical equation: 2Na + Cl 2 →2NaCl.
Vocabulary
- synthesis reaction: Chemical reaction in which two or more reactants combine to form a single product.
Explore More
Watch the two-video sequence on synthesis reactions at the following URLs, and then answer the questions below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZoGe-CR5Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG121vFEle4
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/82349